Overview & Reviews

One of America's most storied automotive brands, Dodge has been around since the early days of the auto industry. In the past couple of decades, it has revitalized itself to be a producer of aggressively styled and performance-oriented vehicles.

Two brothers, Horace and John Dodge, began the Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle company in 1914, after having worked as manufacturers of bicycles and automotive parts. Their first vehicle was a touring car that proved a fast favorite with car buyers; it was soon joined by a roadster and a four-door sedan. By 1917, the company's model line had grown to include trucks. Dodge cars and trucks were used as staff vehicles and ambulances in World War I.

Dodge was briefly owned by a banking firm and subsequently sold by its new owner to the Chrysler Corporation in 1928. From there, the brand slowly evolved into the division responsible for trucks and performance-oriented cars. Post WWII, Dodge introduced vehicles like the military-inspired Power Wagon truck, Hemi-powered Coronet and the Royal Lancer; in addition, the manufacturer began offering dealer-installed air-conditioning.

Vehicles like the Dodge Dart and the Coronet kept the manufacturer in American driveways throughout the 1960s. That decade also saw the launch of one of Dodge's most iconic vehicles, the Charger. Dodge's muscle car was based on the Coronet platform, and featured a fastback roof line, hidden headlamps and a full-width taillamp panel. Best of all, the Charger could pack one heck of a wallop under the hood. A 318-cubic-inch V8 was standard, but buyers seeking maximum brawn could upgrade to a 426-cubic-inch, 425-hp Hemi V8. The company also introduced a Mustang-fighting pony car, called the Challenger, in 1970.

As with other American auto manufacturers, Dodge's fortunes started to slip in the '70s due to changing tastes and increased competition. The company was saved from extinction in the early '80s thanks to government loans and the sales success of its Omni and Aries economy cars (the former an attempted copy of the VW Rabbit). But 1984 was when Dodge made its mark in the history books with the introduction of the wildly popular Caravan. Ideal for families and able to seat up to seven, the space-efficient Caravan started a whole new vehicle segment -- the minivan.

The early '90s saw the company wow the public with the V10-powered Viper roadster and an all-new Ram pickup that set a new standard for big-rig-like styling. A few years later, Dodge came to be part of DaimlerChrysler, a result of the merger of the German company Daimler (owner of Mercedes-Benz) and Chrysler.

The merger never really worked, however, and Daimler sold Chrysler and Dodge to a private equity firm in 2007. Soon after, America's economy slid into recession. Due to poor sales and debt, Chrysler had to declare bankruptcy. The federal government intervened and eventually Dodge came under control of Fiat, a European automaker known for its small cars, an area where Dodge's entries had been roundly criticized for mediocre build quality and unrefined performance.

More recent years have seen Dodge concentrate on the more practical vehicles in its lineup, making notable improvements to the performance and overall quality of its midsize Avenger sedan and Journey SUV entries. Dodge also spun off its truck line, making it a separate Ram brand. But make no mistake; Dodge is still considered Chrysler's performance division thanks to cars like the Challenger and Charger. Time will tell how successful Dodge's latest makeover is.

User Reviews:

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  this car goes the extra mile! - 1995 Dodge Neon
  By danielle - March 30 - 1:57 pm

  I have had my little neon since 2000 with one other owner. Shes a 1995, an old car but very reliable, getting me through many a snowstorm and trips up north. I get about 30 miles to the gallon on highway...a fun car to drive with not a lot of time in the garage. I love my neon and would like to get a newer model of the same car someday...when my old one finally dies

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  The RT option was worth it - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By Doug - March 29 - 6:21 pm

  Ive had my nitro R/T now for 6 months. I love it. Plenty of power with the V6, comfy and handles very well. Great sound system. Interior design is very good and well laid out. Instruments well designed and easy to read. Mine has only been back to dealer for recall on ABS brakes. I never had any trouble with them. My only complaint is the roof rail, its coming loose on passengers side, poor attachment design. But overall very very happy with this SUV. Even with my heavy foot i still average 18 around town.

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  its o.k I guess - 2002 Dodge Neon
  By um, idk. its... um - March 29 - 5:05 pm

  O. K, I have a 2002 Dodge neon. My brother gave it to me because the tranny went out. So I got it rebuilt for 1500 dollars. Now I still have it, when I turn sharply enough the engine light comes on, then goes off when I straighten up. It shakes bad on the highway and when I get to 55. The alternators going up, hopefully no time soon, but the lights on. Um, I got a performance muffler and took the airbox off and a performance air filter, so when I give it some gas it sounds excellent for a 4 cylinder. My recommendation though... Get another car. Why spend 3250 on this when you can get a civic or something?

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  great car!! - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By fr34k - March 29 - 10:00 am

  great car very quick! fun to drive. the 4 door is good cuz it lowers insurance

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  Buyer Beware! - 2002 Dodge Caravan
  By Donna - March 29 - 7:59 am

  I bought this minivan because it fit into my budget. The Toyota and Honda were rated higher but I didnt like the way the Toyota felt and the Honda was too pricey. About 2 months past the 3 year warranty on my Caravan I started having to dole out for repairs. To date I have spent about $6,500. I think I spent $2,500 of that in year 4. The rear seat bench cup holder has broken off twice...I dont have young children who abuse it. In fact, it rarely gets used. Each repair for that has been over $100! The bearing on the sliding door has also broken 2x and I refuse to fix it again! Also had sway bar issues, power steering issues, defective spark plugs, oil leaks,...I will never buy a Dodge again

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  Fantasic Ride - 2008 Dodge Magnum
  By RS - March 28 - 9:57 pm

  Dodge fires the car instead of the people that didnt figure out how to package and market a Fantastic car. I found a rare 29R package with the performance exhaust, seats, wheels, etc. My last two cars were a BMW 5 series and an M3. The Magnum is the best car I have ever owned period! Well controlled ride, quite inside, seats are incredibly comfortable, very powerful and smooth engine and moves the car effortlessly and will do about anything you want, plus in highway driving on my first tank of gas I got 25.6 mi per gallon. Crossovers, the Magnum blows you out of the water. The Magnum does everything better and for less money. What else do you want. I never thought I would own a Dodge WOW!!!

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  Transmission Woes - 2007 Dodge Nitro
  By Sara - March 28 - 8:35 pm

  My Nitro is my first SUV and I mostly love it. I had to take it into the dealer for a leaky transmission twice in the first 3 months I owned it. One of my rear window motors died and had to be replaced about 8 months after I bought it. Overall, a good car, but I worry about its reliability in the long run. Fun to drive, and people comment on the styling.

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  Attention Getter - 1994 Dodge Viper
  By Attention Getter - March 27 - 10:44 pm

  Owning this car is awesome if you want to have a real race car and get tons of attention. People of all ages love to see the car and do double takes and stare. How many Corvettes do you see daily and how many Vipers in a year? There simply is nothing that looks like a first generation Viper. Gas mileage is surprisingly good for a car with this much power, 22 hwy averaging 70 MPH. All the book values are way under priced as you will never see a Viper selling as low as they say, they are appreciating in value as the first generation becomes even rarer. Everyone asks: did you drive it last weekend, did you take it out from winter storage yet, hows the Viper?

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  I love this car - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By Pink Lady SRT - March 27 - 5:00 pm

  My SRT is amazing! I bought it after Katrina in 2005 after she destroyed my 2003 SRT. That was so sad, but I got my 2004 so its all good. It was stock when I bought it, but not anymore. Mopar has tons of performance parts to amp up the power and torque of this awesome little car. Dont be fooled by its small size and that its (just a neon. This is not your mamas neon. This car is for the car enthusiast who loves going fast a feeling the power as they accelerate. I definitely recommend this car to anyone who thinks they can handle it.

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  Nice Family car. - 2005 Dodge Durango
  By Mike - March 26 - 3:54 pm

  Engine and power train are excellent. 4.7 liter delivers good power. Average 16.5 MPG in mixed driving. Not great but delivers what is advertised. Overall ride is very good. Nice sturdy feel. Very smooth on flat roads very truck like on bumpy roads. Very nice family vehicle. Seats 7. Plenty of room for storage with 3rd row seats folded down. Overall this has been a great purchase.